PHUKET'S ghostly undersea sky dive reef is making a comeback . . . and a second artificial reef component will be rolling towards the island soon.
Earlier reports said that the squadron of obsolete aircraft and helicopters, sent to the bottom off Bang Tao with great ceremony in late 2008, had largely been destroyed.
But restoration work has reached the point where one aircraft has been dragged intact from the sand and, along with pieces of others, can still be seen by divers.
The fish? Photos from the reef show that fish adore it. Corals have also begun to form on what remains of the sunken ghost squadron, and officials are so confident it can still work that they are spending 500,000 baht on a series of protective buoys.
The buoys have been put in place by the Bang Tao Longtail Association, who hope more divers will use traditional vessels to go to see the artificial reef in future.
Plans are also underway to sink about 20 rail bogeys, with some obsolete stock readily available at no cost. Transport from Bangkok to Phuket should entail a maximum expenditure of one million baht.
The bogeys, heavier and less easy to shift, will be planted on the sea bottom around the underwater squadron to protect it.
Mayor Manoch Panchalad of the Cherng Talay Orbortor hopes the complete artificial reef can be in place and thriving by next high season.
Artificial reefs are intended to relieve some of the intense pressure of large numbers of tourists on Phuket and the region's natural reefs.
Wanted: A Shipwreck for Every Phuket BeachEarlier reports said that the squadron of obsolete aircraft and helicopters, sent to the bottom off Bang Tao with great ceremony in late 2008, had largely been destroyed.
But restoration work has reached the point where one aircraft has been dragged intact from the sand and, along with pieces of others, can still be seen by divers.
The fish? Photos from the reef show that fish adore it. Corals have also begun to form on what remains of the sunken ghost squadron, and officials are so confident it can still work that they are spending 500,000 baht on a series of protective buoys.
The buoys have been put in place by the Bang Tao Longtail Association, who hope more divers will use traditional vessels to go to see the artificial reef in future.
Plans are also underway to sink about 20 rail bogeys, with some obsolete stock readily available at no cost. Transport from Bangkok to Phuket should entail a maximum expenditure of one million baht.
The bogeys, heavier and less easy to shift, will be planted on the sea bottom around the underwater squadron to protect it.
Mayor Manoch Panchalad of the Cherng Talay Orbortor hopes the complete artificial reef can be in place and thriving by next high season.
Artificial reefs are intended to relieve some of the intense pressure of large numbers of tourists on Phuket and the region's natural reefs.
Photo Tribute Phuket's Sky Dive Reef has been destroyed but more attempts will be made to create artificial reefs off every Phuket beach, says the Thai Diving Association CEO.
Wanted: A Shipwreck for Every Phuket Beach
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Brilliant. So having lost most of what was sunk, they will sink more and no doubt be amazed again that it also disappears during the next low season. SINK THEM AT RACHA YAI!
Posted by Jamie on January 29, 2010 10:27